I have determined that I live in an imaginary world.
For years, I have operated with this nagging feeling that someday I will get it all together.
Someday my house will be totally clean, organized, and de-cluttered.
Someday my schedule will slow down.
Someday our family will have quiet, peaceful nights at home where we can choose to play a game, do a puzzle or just sit and quietly read.
Someday I will get caught up on my to-do list.
Someday I won’t have to rush out the door and will arrive on time.
Someday I will be a consistent meal-planner, with a nice, healthy home-cooked meal for my family each evening.
Someday – when I finally get it together – I will be rid of all this chaos!
Yeah, right.
At this point in my life, that “someday” is just a dream.
A couple of weeks ago as I was driving somewhere (and probably running late), I was talking to the Lord about this chaos that is my life. My conversation was something along the lines of “Lord…when will life slow down?! I can’t keep up! This is too much! I am so ready for some peace and calm. I am tired of the chaos!”
And in that very distinct moment the Lord told me that this was the life He had called me to and His will for me was to find the peace and calm in the middle of the chaos – not just to wait for the “someday.”
What He has been showing me lately is that His peace can happen even on my busiest of days. Even when there are piles of laundry and a never-ending “to do” list. Even when I run from one activity to the next one, I can experience His peace.
His peace is a heart issue and is much deeper than my daily schedule.
Isaiah 32:17-18 says, “The fruit of righteousness will be peace; the effect of righteousness will be quietness and confidence forever. My people will live in peaceful dwelling places, in secure homes, in undisturbed places of rest.”
The “fruit” of righteous living will be peace. And the “effect” of righteous living will be quietness.
Have I totally figured this out yet? No. I am trying to listen to His voice as He shows me how I can experience His peace in the depths of my being, even when it feels like the world is spinning out of control. Here are a few things He is teaching me about having peace in the midst of chaos:
- Somehow I have to have some quiet time with Him each day, even if it’s a crazy day and I only have a few minutes in the Word.
At some point in the day, I have to drop whatever I am doing, put my phone down, and purposefully focus on prayer. And the more I focus on prayer, the more I find myself repeating those prayers throughout the day as I am doing other things.- As I go about my day, listening to Christian music helps to keep me in a constant state of worship. And by listening, I mean really listening so many times I will find myself singing along and then have absolutely no idea what I just sang?! But when I am intentional about listening to what the song says, I find some powerful truths that stick with me throughout the day.
I realize this is a season. I know that someday life will slow down and I will probably long for the chaos again. But for now – this season of raising teens, homeschooling, teaching, ministering, serving, etc – He is teaching me how to have a different heart and mind, even on the crazy days.
